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Aunt Lucy's Cabin 



BY 

JUNE KANKAKEE 



, L.lu jjux, 



THE 



Hbbey press 

PUBLISHERS 

114 

FIFTH AVENUE 

Condon NEW YORK montrcal 



M 



THE LIEKAKY OF 
CONGRESS. 

Two Copit* Received 

MAY. 23 1901 

Copyright entry 

CLASS fl'XXc. N» 

COPY B. 






fl 



«t 



Copyright, 1901, 

by 

THE 

Hbbey press 



First Scene. 

Nice sitting room, containing small table, with 
table cover of royal purple, embroidered 
with gold-colored silk. 

Aunt Lucy dressed in royal purple velvet, 
braided, or embroidered with gold-eolored 
braid or silk; white silk lace on neck and 
sleeves; white, full-blown rose in hair on 
left side; white rose at throat, white satin 
slippers, and carrying white fan. 

She is arranging a bouquet of flowers upon the 
table. 

'After curtain rises, Mace Rogers enters, 
dressed in cream-colored cashmere, trimmed 
with cream-colored silk lace, cream Hold- 
ers in hair, cream-colored satin slippers. 



AUNT LUCY'S CABIN 



First Scene. 

Nice sitting room, containing small table, with 
table cover of royal purple, embroidered 
with gold-colored silk. 

Aunt Lucy dressed in royal purple velvet, 
braided, or embroidered with gold-colored 
braid or silk; white silk lace on neck and 
sleeves; white, full-blown rose in hair on 
left side; white rose at throat, white satin 
slippers, and carrying white fan. 

She is arranging a bouquet of -flowers upon the 
table. 

r After curtain rises, Mace Rogers enters, 
dressed in cream-colored cashmere, trimmed 
with cream-colored silk lace, cream flow- 
ers in hair, cream-colored satin slippers. 

Mace : How do you do, Aunt Lucy ? This 
is the first time I have seen you since you were 
married. 

9 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Aunt Lucy (offering a chair) : I am 
quite well. Have a seat in this rocker. I am 
glad you came in, Mace. 

Mace: This is new business for you, ar- 
ranging bouquets; you used to buy them al- 
ready arranged. 

Aunt Lucy: I am very fond of working 
with flowers. 

Enter Mrs. Serene, broad shoulders, stout 
body, good height and zvith full cheeks; 
dressed in brown flannel, brown bonnet, and 
coarse leather shoes, and without gloves. 

Mrs. Serene (in a jolly voice) : Well, 
how do you do, Mace? I hain't seen you in 
a long time. 

Mace: I am well, thank you; this is my 
Aunt Lucy, Mrs. Serene. 

Aunt Lucy bows and offers a chair. 

Mrs. Serene (addressing Aunt Lucy) : 
I seen you at church and liked your looks, and 
thought I would come and see you and let you 
know you had some neighbors. 

Aunt Lucy: Thank you. 
10 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene (addressing Mace) : I've 
been anxious to see you, Mace, to ask you 
about the school in your deestrict. Is the 
school took yet? 

Mace : I do not know. 

Mrs. Serene: My Hulda is going to be 
married in the spring, and I would like for her 
to teach that school, because they always pay 
big wages out there, and it will help to pay the 
wedding outfit. I have so much society ex- 
pense; well, you know just how it is, every 
dollar helps. 

Mace: Who is your daughter going to 
marry ? 

Mrs. Serene : Felix Stone ; I suppose you 
all know him? 

Mace: What! that Yankee peddler? 

Mrs. Serene : Yes ; he's been courting my 
Hulda a long time. 

Mace: Is that so? Well, really, Felix 
Stone is considered quite a catch. 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, he's quite high-toned. 

Enter Uncle Lute, a stylish-looking man, 

it 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

dressed in the usual suit of black, black silk 
hat, black kid gloves, and carrying a cane with 
gold head. 

Aunt Lucy (smiling) : How do you do, 
Uncle Lute? Come in and be seated. 

Uncle Lute bows to Mrs. Serene and 
Mace. 

Mrs. Serene: I believe I used to know 
you. 

Uncle Lute : Perhaps you did. I was in 
these parts years ago. This county looks to 
me as if there were many pleasant places in it 
to live. 

Aunt Lucy: There are many beautiful 
homes in this county. 

Uncle Lute : Have you a church in your 
town? 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, sir; it's nigh unto 
three years sense the new church was finished. 
We have a new minister this year; his name 
is Mission. 

Uncle Lute (surprised) : I once knew a 



\2 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

man by the name of Mission. I remember 
hearing he was licensed to preach. I wonder 
if he can be the same man? 

Mrs. Serene : Very likely he is. He's had 
his license a long time, I know, for I heard 
him telling one day how many years he'd been 
married. 

Uncle Lute (smiling) : I have some 
nephews living in this county. I thought I 
would look after them and see how they are 
getting along. Do you know any persons liv- 
ing in this county by the names of Berne, Crete, 
Prince or Cedonia? 

Mrs. Serene : Oh, yes, I know them well. 
They are very likely farmers, and very good 
people, too. There's Rush Cedonia; we've 
know'd him fur more than ten years, and a 
better man never wore a hat, nuther. 

Uncle Lute : Have they grown children ? 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, yes, and they air 
mighty fine-looking children, too. Well, I 
must go home. I left light biscuits raising, 



J3 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

and I'm expecting the minister and his wife 
to dinner. 

(Exit.) 

Uncle Lute (addressing Lucy) : Is that 
Mrs. Serene that lived in these parts years 
ago? 

Aunt Lucy : I think she is. 

Lute: I remember well of staying over 
night at their house years ago, when I was 
traveling this way. It was their daughter 
Florida's birthday. During the evening, when 
a number of us were seated in the sitting room, 
engaged in social conversation, some person 
proposed that Florida should receive fourteen 
kisses, because it was her fourteenth birthday. 
They were rather slow about kissing her, and 
it was proposed that I should begin. Sitting 
near her, I quietly imprinted a kiss upon her 
cheek, just as her mother opened the door and 
had full view of the performance. Shades 
of night! didn't she go for me? 

Lucy: I suppose Mrs. Serene was angry? 

Uncle Lute (smiling): Angry! I have 
U 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

not ventured to imprint a kiss upon any young 
lady's cheek since, in the absence of her 
mother. 

Mace : Mrs. Serene is very outspoken, and 
does not spare a person's feelings when she is 
angry. 

(Exit.) 

Uncle Lute: .Well, how do you like it 
upon the farm? 

Lucy: I am delighted with farm life. 

Uncle Lute: Is that so? I am glad to 
hear that. Living upon a farm is so different 
from what you were ever accustomed to, I was 
fearful you would be lonely and homesick. 

Aunt Lucy : Not in the least. I think it 
is delightful here; such fresh, sweet air to 
breathe. 

Lute : Have you good neighbors ? 

Aunt Lucy : Oh, yes, and plenty of them. 

Lute: I am truly glad to find you enjoy- 
ing yourself so much. 

Enter Lorenzo (dressed in business suit) : 
How do you do, Uncle Lute? (Shake hands.) 
15 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Lute: How do you do, Lorenzo? 

Lorenzo : I am truly glad to see you here. 
It is fortunate for me that you came now. I 
have been quite busy, but the seeding is all 
done now, and I am going to rest while the 
crops grow. 

Lucy: And I will be excused, and have 
some dinner prepared for you. 

Lute: Thank you. I am sure I would 
enjoy a dinner with you and Lorenzo. 

(Exit Lucy.) 

Uncle Lute: Well, how are you and 
Lucy getting along in the farming business? 

Lorenzo : Really, I have no cause to com- 
plain. We are well suited so far. Crops are 
always good enough to suit me. 

Lute : That is good news, I am sure. Do 
you get half as much sleep as you did when 
you lived in the city? 

Lorenzo: I get more sleep since we have 
lived upon the farm. 

Lute: How is that? 

Lorenzo: We go to bed at nine o'clock, 
16 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

and get up at five in the morning. While 
in the city, we went to bed at eleven and 
twelve o'clock, and got up when we had to, 
which did not always give us enough sleep. 

Uncle Lute: That is very true. Then 
you do not send your hired men out to work 
in the field at three o'clock in the morning ? 

Lorenzo: No, sir; a six o'clock breakfast 
suits me ; and after breakfast is time enough to 
begin work. 

Lute: Certainly it is; this rushing work 
upon a farm as many do is a great mistake. 

(Thunder and lightning.) 

Mrs. Serene (coming in again) : The 
clouds look as if it would rain before I could 
git home, so thought I would stop until the 
shower is over. 

Lorenzo: You must be making money, 
Mrs. Serene ; you are making so many new and 
expensive improvements. 

Mrs. Serene : Oh, no, we air just making 
a good, honest living. 

Lorenzo: It must have cost you a large 
M 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

sum of money to build and furnish such a 
house as you have? 

Mrs. Serene : Oh, no, it didn't cost much ; 
we know how to manage. I tell you we've 
done a heap of lifting, carrying, and selling 
sense we begun that house. I carried vege- 
tables, beans and wheat many nights until 
midnight. 

Lute: That was rather hard work for a 
woman of your age. 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, it was, but when I 
begin a piece of work I like to finish it. 

(Thunder and lightning.) 

(Enter Faculty, with pieced bed-quilt 
'folded, and carrying it under his arm) : Well, 
sister Serene, I've found you at last. That 
bed-quilt society is in trouble about the quilt- 
ing of this bed-quilt. (Unfolds it.) They 
sent it over for you to decide how this blazing 
star should be quilted. 

Mrs. Serene: The ladies can quilt that 
blazing star just as they please. It's the plain 
block I have something to say about. That 
*8 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

vine is beautiful, and I think it a right nice pat- 
tern to quilt by. 

Faculty: Yes, mammy, youve guessed 
it now. But what pattern will you have this 
blazing star quilted after? 

Mrs. Serene : Well, our Hulda is a good 
hand about taste in needle-work. We will git 
her to decide it fur us. 

Faculty: All right, madam. (Calls at 
one side. ) Hulda, come in and tell us how to 
quilt this bed-quilt. 

(Enter Hulda,, stout-looking, dressed in 
an over-done, out-of -taste style.) 

Hulda (after taking it in hand) : I 
should think double diamonds, the size when 
finished to be one-fourth of an inch in width, 
with two rows of stitching in a place, would be 
nice for the plain block. 

Mrs. Serene: That would be just lovely. 

Faculty: That would be more tedious 

than your mother's vines. You might as well 

tell them to quilt it in the pattern of coiled 

snakes. It would be about as easy: Now 

$9 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

bring on your bright ideas. How is this blaz- 
ing star to be quilted ? 

Hulda: That should not be quilted; it 
looks better just as it is. It looks better away 
from home. 

(Exit) 

Faculty : Yes, yes, it sounds better away 
from home. That is what editors say when 
they put a few stretchers in their paper — it 
will sound better away from home. (Tosses 
the quilt together.) 

(Thunder and lightning.) 

Lorenzo (addressing Faculty) : Per- 
haps you could suggest a plan that would be 
easier ? 

Faculty : I could, for a fact. In the first 
place, I would not have any quilting about it. 
I would have the pattern all butterflies, and 
five butterflies are enough for the whole quilt. 
Put one in the centre and one in each of the 
four corners (smiling), and it will look bet- 
ter away from home. (Lorenzo and Lute 
smile. ) 

20 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene : Your ideas air fine. 

Faculty : The important part is the bind- 
ing, to keep the cotton bats from coming out. 
You will need two rows of stitching around 
the outside and the work is done. 

Lorenzo: That would be less work than 
quilting the whole quilt. 

Faculty (smiling) : Yes, and would look 
better away from home. 

(Exit.) 

Aunt Lucy (addressing Lorenzo and 
Lute) : Your dinner is ready. 

(Exit Lorenzo, Lute and Lucy.) 

(Thunder and lightning, wind, rain and 
hail.) 

(Enter Felix Stone, very neatly dressed 
in business suit, carrying a case of dry goods 
in hand, smiling and bowing. ) 

Felix : I am lucky to make my escape out 
of that rainstorm, and find shelter in such a 
cosy place as this. 

Mrs. Serene: You air just the man we 
want to see. The sewing society that I am a 
2\ 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

member of air having a quilting, and they've 
broke the biggest part of their needles, and air 
on their last spool of thread. 

Felix: In my business, I always carry a 
good supply of thread and needles. 

Mrs. Serene : Let me have two papers of 
the best needles you have, and four spools of 
white thread, number twenty-four, I think will 
be about right. 

Felix (opening his case) : Madam, the 
best needles I have are darning needles, and 
they are just what you want for that quilt. 
I've seen it. It's as thick as a feather bed. 
And you had better get some binding twine to 
quilt it with; that number twenty- four thread 
will be too fine. 

Mrs. Serene: Now, Felix Stone, don't 
be joking about business affairs. Have you 
fine shoes with you to-day? 

Felix : No, madam. If I had there would 
not be any large enough for you. I have a 
fine assortment of ladies' hose. 

Mrs. Serene: Hare you rakes, too? 
22 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Felix (smiling) : No, madam. 

Mrs. Serene: Well, it's too late in the 
season to buy hoes; we have our hoeing all 
done; we might take a couple in the spring. 
My Hulda is grand with a hoe. 

Felix (smiling) : Is that so? 

Mrs. Serene (earnestly) : Mr. Stone, is 
there anything invented to reduce the size of 
people's feet? 

Felix : Madam, I know of no way of re- 
ducing the size of your feet, unless you should 
have them pared on the outside, and it would 
take some time to pare them down to the size 
other people have. 

Mrs. Serene (sneeringly) : Ha! 

Felix (smiling) : Well, for a summer 
shoe, you wear about number fourteen, do you 
not? (Closes dry goods case.) 

Mrs. Serene : Now, Felix Stone, don't be 
making fun of my feet. That's why I always 
make my dresses so long — because my feet air 
so big, 

Felix : Excuse me, if you would make 
23 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

your dresses shorter and let the skirt hang 
even all around, you would not expose the size 
of your feet as much as you do to make them 
so long, and hold them up in places. 

Mrs. Serene: I guess dressmakers know 
how to make dresses as well as you do. 

Felix : I guess they don't. No wise 
dressmaker will advise a woman, rich or poor, 
to make her dresses with a train that is to be 
worn upon the street. Trained dresses belong 
indoors and upon clean carpets. 

Mrs. Serene : That is a matter of taste. 

Felix : That is a matter of sense. 

Mrs. Serene: I guess you and me would 
not agree very well, anyhow. 

Felix : I guess we wouldn't, either. 
(Picks up his case of dry goods and starts out, 
while Mrs. Serene stands quietly looking after 
him, while curtain falls.) 



24 



Second Scene. 

Room arranged without furniture. Enter 
Roxanna Dundas, dressed in red and 
green changeable silk, with hat to match, 
fashionably made; dark green gloves. Be- 
gins taking off- gloves. Vincent enters on 
opposite side in quite a hurry a little later; 
dressed in a business suit with overalls on, 
carrying a bouquet of peonies, and hat in 
hand. 



25 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 



Second Sce,ne. 

Room arranged without furniture. Enter 
Roxanna Dundas, dressed in red and 
green changeable silk, with hat to match, 
fashionably made; dark green gloves. Be- 
gins taking off gloves. Vincent enters on 
opposite side in quite a hurry, a little later; 
dressed in a business suit with overalls on, 
carrying a bouquet of peonies, and hat in 
hand. 

Vincent {smiling) : Well, Roxanna, you 
did beat me, didn't you ? I never was so glad 
in my life to see you. I tried to get around to 
help you off the train, but you dodged me 
someway. How did you turn that corner so 
quickly ? 

Roxy: Easy enough. I was angry. 
What did you come in that sort of style for? 
Those conductors all know me, and have ever 
since I was a little girl. 
27 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Vincent (in a delighted manner) : Really, 
Roxy, I was so overjoyed, and so anxious 
about your coming, I forgot to take off my 
overalls. I brought you some pinies. 

(Offers them to her. She hits them with 
her hand and throws them upon the floor.) 

Vincent: Why, Roxy! 

Roxy (angrily) : Why will you persist in 
calling those flowers pinies ? Don't you know 
the correct name for them? 

Vincent (in a good-natured zvay) : Yes, 
Roxy, I do know the correct name. 

Roxy: Then why don't you call them by 
their right name ? 

Vincent (slowly) : Oh, I am old fash- 
ioned, you know. I first got into the habit by 
mocking your Uncle John, and it kind of 
stayed with me. 

Roxy : Yes, it stayed with you as my tur- 
key money stays with you. Who gave you 
permission to sell my turkeys? 

Vincent: Your turkeys? No person 
gave me permission to sell the turkeys. I was 
28 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

not aware the turkeys belonged to you, any 
more than they did to me. 

Roxy: Have I not had the entire care of 
them ? 

Vincent : Yes. 

Roxy: Then what claim have you upon 
them? 

Vincent (in a good-natured ivay) : Well, 
I set the hens, made the coops, and raised the 
grains you fed them. 

Roxy : That is nothing by the side of the 
other work that has to be done to raise them. 

Vincent: Don't I try to help you all I 
can? 

Roxy : No, you are the poorest help I ever 
saw. 

Vincent: Why, Roxy, I always try to 
help you when I can know what to do! 

Roxy: I should think you were blind a 
greater part of the time. 

Vincent: Well, well, how women will 
talk when they get their heads set. Now look 
at those flowers ; I paid two dollars for them, 
29 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

and never bought any that gave me so much 
pleasure, because I thought they would please 
you. 

Roxy : You'll not be apt to wear your old 
overalls, the next time you come to meet me at 
the train. 

Vincent {smiling) : I might not come to 
meet you next time. 

Roxy : Well, I am tired of so much work ; 
that is what makes me so cross ; besides, I think 
the pocketbook should increase according to the 
size of the family. 

Vincent: Oh, that is the trouble, is it? 
I thought it was because I sold the turkeys. 

Roxy {pouting for an instant) : Well, 
there were three hundred turkeys at a dollar 
and a half apiece, and I suppose the money will 
go to pay for cows, horses and machinery, as 
usual. 

Vincent: Not necessarily that way. 

Roxy : That is the way it always has gone, 
and I suppose this will go the same old road. 
If I could have that money, it would buy some 
30 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

new furniture, and renew our bedding and 
wardrobe. Our furniture looks as if it had 
been used a century. I get so tired looking at 
our old, faded things in the house. It seems 
to me if I had a pair of wings, how high I 
would fly, to get out of the sight of the inside 
of this house. 

Vincent (in a pleasant tone) : Roxy, the 
first money that comes in you shall have to buy 
whatever you want with it. 

Roxy: I do not see anything consoling 
about that. There will not be anything to sell 
for six months; by that time the expense will 
be equal to the income. 

Vincent: It takes capital to run a farm. 

Roxy : You do not need to run all the capi- 
tal into the barnyard. 

Vincent: You have a good living, don't 
you? 

Roxy : Yes, but one-half of the time I am 
too tired to eat, after the victuals are cooked. 
What pleasure is there in living this way? 



3* 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Vincent: You might have less pleasure 
if you had nothing to cook. 

Roxy: Girls never better themselves by 
marrying farmers. 

Vincent: That is a great mistake, Roxy. 
Many farmers retire, and live at their ease. 

Roxy: Perhaps the farmer does, but his 
wife will go on drudging away. 

Vincent: Ah, Roxy, don't get dis- 
couraged. 

Roxy: Do you know any girls of our ac- 
quaintance that have bettered their situation 
by marrying farmers? 

Vincent: Yes, plenty of them. 

Roxy: I should like to know where they 
are. Mention some of them. 

Vincent: There is Mrs. — Mrs. — why, 
there's Mrs. — well — oh, you have confused me 
so I cannot think of any person's name. 

Roxy {smiling) : No, I think not in that 
line. Well, I am hungry and would like some 
supper. {Goes out.) 

Vincent {sadly picking up the flowers, 
32 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

goes out) : Well, this looks as if I had 
wasted my money. 

Enter Mr. Crete, with uncombed hair, 
dressed with overshirt and overalls on, carry- 
ing about a peck of corn in a sack. He emp- 
ties it out upon the floor, and begins separating 
the larger from the smaller. 

Enter Uncle Lute, tall and fine-looking, 
dressed in black with long black robe on, long 
silver-gray hair and whiskers; hat or cap of 
ancient style, carrying a cane with gold head. 

Uncle Lute (bowing) : Preparing for 
planting corn, are you? 

Crete: Yes, sir. 

Lute: Fine weather you are having for 
farm work. 

Crete: Well, yes, I don't remember ever 
seeing finer spring weather than we are having 
just now. (Stops his work and talks.) 

Lute: You are getting your spring work 
done early in the season. 

Crete: I am obliged to get my work 
started early in the spring, or we could never 
33 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

get our work done ; we have so awful much to 
be done. 

Lute : Are those your little boys that were 
plowing in that field out there yesterday? 

Crete: Yes, sir. 

Lute: Rather small to lift those heavy 
plows around, are they not? 

Crete: Oh, they do not mind it; they are 
stout little fellows. 

Lute : How about that little fellow in his 
bare feet? Do you think that will help to 
strengthen his body and mind when he is 
grown ? 

Crete: Ah, that won't hurt him. Those 
little boys are as happy as the birds in the air. 

Lute: Wait awhile, sir; they may be as 
ugly as Satan in chains. I should think you 
would want them to be in school ? 

Crete: I cannot spare them during the 
working season. 

Lute : What ! You do not keep those lit- 
tle toddlers at work all summer, do you? 

Crete : I do. I am obliged to. There is 
34 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

no small expense in raising a large family of 
children, and while they are here, they might 
just as well help pay for their keeping. 

Lute: Ah! beware, when they are old 
enough to take care of themselves, and their 
poor old, feeble father, you will need to take 
care of them and yourself too. This con- 
stantly overworking the body is ruinous to the 
mind. The mind should be cultivated with 
the body. 

Crete: I calculate they shall have a 
chance to cultivate their minds when they are 
older. 

Lute: Yes, when it is too late. If you 
want your boys to be physically and mentally 
strong when they are grown, you do not want 
to put the work of men upon them when they 
are boys. How much land do you own here? 

Crete: Only six hundred acres. 

Lute: And you would like to have about 
six hundred more, I suppose? 

Crete : That would suit me very well. 

Lute: What sort of men do you expect 
35 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

your boys to make, when during their youthful 
days they do work suited to the strength of big, 
stout men? 

Crete : My boys never complain. 

Lute: Perhaps not now; but wait a few 
years. Complaining will be about all they will 
have any tact for. Heed my warning, and be- 
ware ; if you wish your boys to be men of any 
value when grown, you should not expect them 
to fill the places of men when they are boys. 

Crete : Do you reside in these parts ? 

Lute : No, sir. I am just looking around. 

Crete : What is your name ? 

Lute: I will tell you my name the next 
time I come. Good night, sir. (Exit Uncle 
Lute.) 

(Crete stands looking at him, and picks 
up corn. Enter Mr. Lynn, hotel landlord; 
steps to one side and calls as if talking to some 
person upstairs.) 

Lynn : Did you hear the breakfast call ? 

Victor Kinross (upstairs) : Yes, sir. 

Lynn : Did you hear the dinner call ? 
36 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn: Did you hear the supper call? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn : Why didn't you get up, then ? 

Victor: I have the best reason in this 
world for not getting up; I haven't any pants 
to put on. 

Lynn: How is that, sir? 

Victor : I don't know how that is, sir. 

Lynn : Didn't you wear your pants to bed ? 

Victor: No, sir. I haven't worn my 
pants to bed since I was ten years old. 

Lynn : I'll have you arrested, sir. 

Victor : What name will you have me ar- 
rested in? 

Lynn : Didn't you register your name last 
night ? 

Victor: No, sir. 

Lynn : Why didn't you? 

Victor: I didn't see any place to register 
my name only on the wall. I thought it was 
about full. 

Lynn : Where did you leave your pants 
last night? 

37 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Victor : On a chair at the foot of this bed. 

Lynn: Was that window open all night? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn : Did you lose your pocketbook, too ? 

Victor : No, sir. 

Lynn : Well, what is to be done ; do you 
want some person to get you a pair of pants? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn : Have you the money to pay for a 
pair of pants? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn : Let's have it, then. 

Victor: It's a good paymaster that pays 
when the work is done. Bring on the pants, 
and your money is ready. 

Lynn : Why didn't you say so long ago, 
and save all this racket? 

Victor : You made the racket yourself, sir. 

Lynn : None of your impudence, or you 
will not get any pants. 

Victor: All right, just as you can afford. 
I have a few dollars left, and am tired of 
traveling; if you prefer boarding me in bed, 
I am your boarder, sir. 
38 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Lynn: What number of pants do you 
wear? 

Victor : I do not know. 

Lynn : You must be a numskull. 

Victor : Not at all, sir. 

Lynn : Have you any idea about the num- 
ber? 

Victor : No, sir ; they never put any num- 
ber on them. I have them made to order. 

Lynn : You do not wish to lie in bed while 
the tailor makes them, do you? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn : The tailor is out of town. 

Victor: All right, I am your boarder 
then. 

Lynn: Where are you going? 

Victor : To see my mother. 

Lynn: Where is your mother? 

Victor: I do not know; she went away 
and never returned. 

Lynn: She and your father separated? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn : Are they divorced ? 
39 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Victor: No, sir. 

Lynn : Is your mother dead ? 

Victor : Yes, sir, and I wish I were 3ead, 
too. 

Lynn: Why do you wish that? 

Victor: Then I would not need to wear 
pants. 

Lynn : If I knew how to take your meas- 
ure as tailors do, I could order you a pair of 
pants. 

Victor: I can give you my order. I al- 
ways send my height. 

Lynn : What is your height? 

Victor: Eleven feet and twenty-two 
inches. 

Lynn : Is that all ? 

Victor: Yes, sir. 

Lynn: Where did you grow? 

Victor: Running around on a farm, sir. 

Lynn (looking thoughtfully down at the 
■floor talking to himself) : Eleven feet and 
twenty-two inches. 



40 



Third Scene. 

Room arranged as a parlor. Table with cover 
on of royal purple color, embroidered with 
gold-colored silk. Before curtain rises 
Delphena Snow, dressed in nice black, 
braided with white silk braid, white rose in 
hair and at throat, carrying white fan, 
seated, with open book in hand as if reading. 
After curtain rises, Harry Rogers enters 
zvith box of writing paper and envelopes; 
sits down by table with face toward audi- 
ence, leaving space back of him for others 
to pass, and begins writing. 

Have a call bell on table. Enter Mace Rog- 
ers on opposite side and sits down. 
Dressed in sky-blue silk, trimmed with white 
silk lace, blue gloves, blue shoes; wearing a 
very light blue wrap over, having sleeves 
and collar trimmed zvith gold-colored fringe, 
belt or sash to match. Turban to match 
wrap; light blue face veil. 

'Enter Faustina Lynn on the same side, 
'dressed in nice black serge, with black silk 
lace in neck and sleeves, carrying in hand a 
roll of white paper. (Bows to Miss Snow. 
Miss Snow returns the bow.) 



41 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 



Third Scene. 

Room arranged as a parlor. Table with cover 
on of royal purple color, embroidered with 
gold-colored silk. Before curtain rises 
Delphena Snow, dressed in nice black, 
braided with white silk braid, white rose in 
hair and at throat, carrying white fan, 
seated, with open book in hand as if reading. 
After curtain rises, Harry Rogers enters 
with box of writing paper and envelopes; 
sits down by table with face toward audi- 
ence, leaving space back of him for others 
to pass, and begins writing. 

Have a call bell on table. Enter Mace Rog- 
ers on opposite side and sits down. 
Dressed in sky-blue silk, trimmed with white 
silk lace, blue gloves, blue shoes; wearing a 
very light blue wrap over, having sleeves 
and collar trimmed with gold-colored fringe, 
belt or sash to match. Turban to match 
wrap; light blue face veil. 
43 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Enter Faustina Lynn on the same side, 
dressed in nice black serge, with black silk 
lace in neck and sleeves, carrying in hand a 
roll of white paper. (Bows to Miss Snow. 
Miss Snow returns the bow.) 

Faustina (addressing Mr. Rogers) : Is 
Mrs. Rogers at home? 

Mr. Rogers {without stopping his work) : 
Yes'm; go on into the sitting-room; you will 
find her. 

Faustina passes on and goes out. 

Enter Mrs. Serene, dressed in brown flan- 
nel, brown bonnet, and brown cotton gloves. 

Mrs. Serene (addressing Mr. Rogers) : 
Is Mr. Celt tending to business to-day? 

Mr. Rogers: Yes'm. (Rings bell.) 

Mr. Celt enters on opposite side and bows. 

Mrs. Serene: Is your store open to-day? 

Celt : Yes'm. 

Mrs. Serene : Then I will leave my order. 

Celt: I will be glad to take your order. 
'{Takes ont order book.) 

Mrs. Serene: Have you Souchong? 
44 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Celt: Souchong? Madam, I do not un- 
derstand what you wish. 

Mrs. Serene : You had a new box of Sou- 
chong last week. 

Celt: I guess it was in some other store 
you saw it. 

Mrs. Serene : No, sir, it was in this store 
I saw it. That black tea you got last week. 

Celt: Oh, yes, we have some very excel- 
lent black tea, if that is what you mean. 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, that is what I mean. 

Celt (smiling) : How much Souchong do 
you wish? 

Mrs. Serene: Five pounds. Have you 
sugar sand? 

Celt: Yes'm, what colors, and how much 
of each color do you wish ? 

Mrs. Serene : I would wish a half pound 
of every color you have. 

Mrs. Serene: Have you medlars? 

Celt : I think not. 

Mrs. Serene: Have you mazards? 



45 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 



Celt: Yes'm. How much do you wish? 

Mrs. Serene: About ten pounds. Do 
you keep metheglin? 

Celt : No, madam, I am entirely out. 

Mrs. Serene: I thought it would do to 
put pickles into for a gusto. Have you sap- 
sago ? 

Celt: Yes'm, the best there is in market. 

Mrs. Serene: I will take fifty pounds. 
Have you salmagundi ? 

Celt: Yes, about a gallon. 

Mrs. Serene : That is about what I would 
wish. Have you straight A sugar? 

Celt : Yes'm. How many pounds do you 
wish ? 

Mrs. Serene : I would wish one bar'l ; and 
I wish fifty pounds of the best coffee you have. 

We have a heap of things to see to now, and 
1 feel anxious to have everything in late style. 

Celt : Yes, people usually feel more anx- 
ious about having late styles for weddings 
than any other entertainment. 



46 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, and Felix Stone is so 
high-toned. 

Celt : I am not personally acquainted with 
him. 

Mrs. Serene: Ain't you? I thought 
everybody knew him. I've already had it 
throw'd into my face that some folks thought 
it strange that Felix Stone would come into 
our family looking for a wife. Til show them 
we are just as high-toned as Felix Stone is. 

Celt : Ah, this world is too much for style. 

Mrs. Serene : Could you tell me where we 
could get a factotum ? 

Celt (slowly) : Yes, I could, but she is 
rather high on the charge. 

Mrs. Serene : I don't care for charges. 

Celt : You don't ? Well, two blocks east, 
and one block north, you will find good help. 

Enter her son Faculty, aged about four- 
teen, dressed in dark blue suit, with cap in 
hand, addressing his mother. 

Faculty : Say, mam, I think you're a long 
time getting your shopping done. 
47 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Ah, Faculty, you are al- 
ways in a hurry. 

Faculty: Well, you'll get in a bigger 
hurry than this when you get to buying my 
wedding fixings. 

Mrs. Serene (addressing Celt) : Have 
you Florence silk? 

Celt : Yes'm. 

Mrs. Serene: Cut off twenty yards for 
me. Have you Surah silk? 

Celt : Yes'm, we have a very fine piece of 
Surah. 

Mrs. Serene: I believe that will make a 
very nice banion. I will take fifteen yards. 
Now I wish some kind of goods to make a 
domino. 

Celt: I do not know what kind of goods 
you wish. 

Mrs. Serene : Have you Levantine ? 

Celt : We have a beautiful piece of Levan- 
tine. 

Mrs. Serene : That will be just the thing 
to make my daughter a domino for fall. I 
48 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

am so happy to know I found some Levantine. 
Have you late styles of vandykes ? 

Celt : We have the very latest in vandykes. 

Mrs. Serene : I will take four. Have you 
pilchards? 

Celt: No, madam; you will be more apt 
to find pilchards at a fish store. 

Mrs. Serene: Do you keep shamrock? 

Celt: No, madam, that doesn't come in 
our line of business. 

Faculty : Have you any candy ? 

Celt : No, sir. 

Faculty: I feel as if I could eat a flour 
sack full. 

Mrs. Serene: Have you black Regatta 
silk? 

Celt: Yes'm; how many yards do you 
wish? 

Mrs. Serene: Twenty yards. I think 
that will be enough to make me a dress. Have 
you moreen? 

Celt : No, madam. 

Mrs. Serene : Have you sarcenet ? 
49 " 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Celt : Yes'm ; what color do you wish ? 

Mrs. Serene: I wish a mazarine color; 
five yards will be enough. 

Celt : Is there anything more you wish ? 

Mrs. Serene: Nothing more. I've noth- 
ing smaller than doubloons to pay you. 

Celt {smiling) : Send them over; I can 
change doubloons. 

Mrs. Serene: It takes a heap more fuss- 
ing now than it did when me and Joseph got 
married. 

Celt : I suppose it does. 

Mrs. Serene : Now, Faculty, we are ready 
to go home. 

Faculty: I don't see any fun trotting 
round after you. I'm getting tired and weak 
in my knees, for want of something to chaw. 

Mrs. Serene: This boy is very malapert 
to-day. 

Exit Mrs. Serene and Faculty; exit Mr. 
Celt {smiling). Enter Aunt Lucy, dressed 
as at iirst. 

Auunt Lucy: Really, Delphena, you are 
always reading. 

50 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Delphena (smiling) : I believe I do read 
the greater part of the time. 

Aunt Lucy (addressing Mr. Rogers) : 
Is Mrs. Rogers at home? 

Rogers: Yes'm, you will find her in the 
sitting room. 

Aunt Lucy passes on and out. (Enter 
Mrs. Serene, smiling; addresses Rogers) : 
Is Mr. Celt busy? 

Rogers: I think not. (Rings the bell. 
Celt enters.) 

Mrs. Serene : I forgot the most important 
article. I wish to buy something for a present 
for a gentleman. Have you sold that beauti- 
ful chibouque? 

Celt: No, madam; we have had it in the 
store seven years, and have not been able to 
find a buyer for it, because it was so high- 
priced. 

Mrs. Serene : Never mind the price ; I will 
take it anyhow. What is your price for that 
chibouque ? 



51 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Celt: Seven dollars. {Takes oat his 
order book.) 

Faculty enters and slyly pins a white 
feather on his mother's sleeve. 

Mrs. Serene: That's cheap enough for 
wedding times. I'll send for it in the morning. 

Faculty : Have you got any chawing 
gum? If you have I'll take a dollar's worth. 

Mrs. Serene : I wish to buy an escritoire. 

Celt: I do not know what you mean. I 
don't think we have any, anyhow. 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, you have got three in 
the back part of your store — them writing 
desks. 

Celt (smiling) : Is that what you mean? 
Well, all right. Send the money and you shall 
have the escritoire. 

Mrs. Serene : It costs a heap of money to 
get married now, and be first cut. 

Celt: It seems to be costing you some- 
thing. 

Faculty : I hope you'll get some chawing 
gum by the time I come again. 
52 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene : Faculty, we must be going. 

Exit Mrs. Serene and Faculty, as he 
smiles upon the audience and points to his 
mother's sleeve. 

Exit Mr. Celt (smiling). 

Enter Mrs. Celt (dressed in nice black; 
addresses Rogers) : Is Mrs. Rogers at home? 

Rogers: Yes'm, my wife is always at 
home. Go into the sitting room ; you will find 
her. 

Mrs. Celt passes on and out. 

Cecil Page enters where Mrs. Celt went 
out; addresses Mr. Rogers. 

Cecil: Mr. Rogers, three ladies have 
called inquiring for Mrs. Rogers. . 

Rogers : Send them to her room. (Keeps 
writing. ) 

Cecil : But Mrs. Rogers is not here. 

Rogers: Certainly she is here. 

Cecil : No, Mr. Rogers, your wife has not 
been here for ten days. 

Rogers: Why, Cecil, she was here at 
breakfast time. I surely know my wife's 
53 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

dresses. I saw her as she passed out of the 
dining room this morning. 

Cecil : That was not Mrs. Rogers. That 
woman does the overseeing of the work, and 
wears Mrs. Rogers' dresses. 

Mr. Rogers (turning toward Cecil, a little 
angry) : Cecil, do you wish to lose your job? 

Cecil : No, sir. 

Rogers : Then do not be putting up a story 
like that upon me. (Exit Cecil.) 

Enter Mrs. Celt (addressing Rogers) : 
Really, Mr. Rogers, I believe Mrs. Rogers is 
not at home. 

Mr. Rogers (throwing down his pencil, 
says) : I can find her. 

Mrs. Rogers (instantly) : I am Mrs. 
Rogers. (Takes off her wrap and hat.) 

Mr. Rogers (greatly surprised) : Mace, 
how is this? What sort of a trick is this to 
play upon me when I work so hard to support 
our family? 

Mrs. Rogers: Did not I tell you, Harry, 
that I could go away from home for ten days 
54 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

and you would not miss me if you saw my old 
dresses flying around as usual? 

Rogers (smiling) : Well, yes, I do remem- 
ber you made that remark once, but I never 
thought of you trying it in this manner. 

Mrs. Rogers: Who was it said "Never 
forget to court your wife"? 

Mr. Rogers: Really, Mace, I think I did 
courting enough before we were married to 
last the remainder of our lifetime. 

Mrs. Rogers: Everything is business, 
business, business; you are buried in your 
work. 

Rogers (looking at her in beseeching man- 
ner) : Is that the trouble, Mace? 

Mrs. Rogers : Truly, that is all I have to 
complain of. 

Mr. Rogers (smiling) : Well, well, come 
in, we will have one good, square meal to- 
gether. 

(Exit Mrs. Rogers, then Mr. Rogers.) 

Enter Aunt Lucy, from opposite side, with 
Ceres Branson accompanying her; dressed in 
55 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

gray, braided with black; carrying white fan, 
pink buds in hair at throat. 

Aunt Lucy {addressing Miss Snow) : I 
suppose, Delphena, you remember Ceres Bran- 
son? 

Delphena {smiling, rises and shakes 
hands) : Most assuredly I do. (Aunt 
Lucy offers a chair, and goes out.) 

Delphena: I am a stranger here and am 
glad you came in. 

Ceres : I hope you will remain some time, 
as I am not very much acquainted myself. 

Delphena: Why, how is that? You 
have been teaching here for years. 

Ceres : My time is nearly all employed in 
the school-room. I have several classes to 
care for evenings. 

Aunt Lucy and Cecil bring in a luncheon 
of cold tongue and cake, with napkins and tea- 
plates to serve it upon. Silver knives and 
forks passed upon a silver or china tray. 

Aunt Lucy: If you have light refresh- 
ments, you will have more strength to visit 
with each other. 

56 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Cecil brings a pitcher of water and five 
water glasses and leaves them upon the table. 
Mrs. Serene enters just as they have finished 
passing the lunch. 

Mrs. Serene {addressing Aunt Lucy) : I 
was out calling, and thought I would come in 
and visit a while with you. I wonder if I 
made a mistake? 

Aunt Lucy {offering her a chair) : No 
mistake at all; be seated. 

Enter Faculty {smiling) : I am your es- 
cort, Sister Serene. 

Mrs. Serene: Faculty, I will be obleeged 
to give you some training when I get home ; I 
didn't know you was coming. 

Aunt Lucy offers him a chair; Cecil brings 
in two plates and napkins. 

Aunt Lucy {to Mrs. Serene and 
Faculty) : As we are having a luncheon, 
you might as well share it with us. {Address- 
ing Mrs. Serene.) Will you have a bit of 
the tongue? 



57 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Goodness, no; I've more 
tongue now than I know how to manage. 

Aunt Lucy : Perhaps your son would like 
a piece ? 

Faculty: If you please. I am just in 
need of a little more tongue. (Cecil passes 
the cake. ) 

Delphena: This tongue is very nice. 

Mrs. Serene: This cake is just splendid. 
I would like to know how many eggs it takes 
to make such a cake as this? 

Aunt Lucy: If I remember correctly it 
takes twelve eggs. 

Faculty: Now, ma, when you go home, 
you will rob all the old setting hens of their 
eggs, to make a cake like this, because it is 
super excellent. 

(Cecil passes the cake; Faculty takes two 
pieces. ) 

Mrs. Serene : Dudes never have any man- 
ners. 

Faculty: No, nor the mothers of dudes; 
that is what ails the dude. 

Ceres : Is your son inclined to be a dude ? 
58 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: I think he is inclined to 
climb that way. (Cecil passes the water; all 
take water except Faculty, who says) : No, 
thank you; I always drink milk. {Drinks it 
all at once.) 

Cecil: Would you like another glass of 
milk? 

Faculty: The same glass will do, but I 
would like it filled again. 

(Cecil fills it again, and Faculty drinks it 
all again.) 

Faculty : I'll tell you what's a fact, Sister 
Serene; this milk is so good, I believe I could 
drink a cow full. 

Mrs. Serene: Hush, Faculty. 

Delphena : I thought dudes were usually 
very dainty. 

Faculty: They have to be dainty to get 
their shape right. (Cecil takes all dishes out 
except the pitcher of water, and one glass, to 
be left on the table.) 

Aunt Lucy: When you have all chatted 
and rested I think it would be agreeable to have 
59 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

some singing; I would enjoy hearing Ceres 
sing that beautiful solo she used to sing. 

Delphena : That would suit me. 

Faculty: When she gets through, I mo- 
tion Sister Serene sing her duet she's been prac- 
tising on nigh onto two weeks. 

Delphena: What is the name of it? 

Faculty: She calls it the "pilgrim's 
hope." I guess she found it somewhere 
among Mother Goose's melodies. She sings 
it in her sleep and out of it. 

Mrs. Serene: Now, Faculty. 

Delphena (addressing Mrs. Serene) : 
How did you like the sermon Sunday even- 
ing? 

Mrs. Serene: Well, some parts of it I 
liked, and some parts I didn't. At one time 
he said Martin Luther was a lion ; I never read 
that in the Bible. 

Delphena : I understood him to say Mar- 
tin Luther was a lion of truth. 

Mrs. Serene: I didn't hear that part. I 
sometimes think my hearing is failing me. 
60 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Faculty: Her hearing is failing her, but 
her speaking apparatus is always in order; 
good-by, Sister Serene; I believe I'll go home. 
(Exit.) 

Enter Mrs. Berne, dressed in nice black; 
bows to all in general; (addresses Delphena 
and Ceres) : It seems like old times to see 
you two once more. 

Ceres: I guess we are equally glad to 
meet. 

Mrs. Berne (addressing Aunt Lucy) : I 
suppose you have all heard about Felix Stone 
being robbed? 

Aunt Lucy : No, that is news. 

Mrs. Serene: Ah, that is all stuff about 
him being robbed. I've known peddlers to tell 
worse yarns than that and pass in good society 
as if they was somebody. This whole county 
couldn't see any sunshine unless Felix Stone 
come around about every so often with that 
peddling wagon. 

Mrs. Berne: I am aware he is like a ray 
of sunshine wherever he goes. 
6\ 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: He's been talking sweet 
words to my Hulda more than I care about. 

Mrs. Berne : Do you not feel alarmed for 
fear that Yankee peddler will carry off your 
daughter ? 

Mrs. Serene: Sometimes I do. I would 
rather she would stay with me. She can lift 
a bushel of wheat as easy as I can. 

Delphena (smiling) : What an idea. 

Mrs. Berne (addressing Delphena) : Are 
you still following your old profession? 

Delphena : I am, when any suits offer. 

Mrs. Serene: I should think that suit 
would last her lifetime. 

Mrs. Berne (addressing Ceres) : Del- 
phena has come to decide our law suits. 

Mrs. Serene: Ah, that is it; she's got 
into a law suit, and come out here to get away 
frum it. 

Mrs. Berne : No, that is not what I meant ; 
she is a lawyer by profession; pleading law is 
her business. (Exit.) 

Mrs. Serene (confused) : I beg your pas- 
62 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

time. I'm tired to-day and that makes me for- 
getful. 

Aunt Lucy: And Ceres will teach our 
schools for us. 

Ceres : I will if I am fortunate enough to 
get them. (Exit Aunt Lucy.) 

Mrs. Serene : My Hulda wants one school 
for next winter. I am going to have a dinner 
party, and left Hulda to tend to the roasting 
of the turkey, and have it a golden brown 
when finished. 

Delphena : Dinner parties these days are 
quite a care to those who have them in charge. 

Enter Florida (about eighteen) : Ma, 
shall I make those white-top pies and have them 
nice and cool for dinner? 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, and flavor them with 
vernilly. 

Florida: All right. (Exit.) 

Enter Faculty (smiling) : Vernilly it 

shall be then. I expect this dinner will be just 

boss. Sister Serene will give us one of her 

model dinners. How many tablecloths are 

63 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

you going to put on this time? All you have, 
I suppose. 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, no, son, if I should 
they would reach to the ceiling. Now, 
Faculty, I want you should dress up and help 
entertain the company. 

Faculty : I should think you would ; I am 
such a help to you. Well, what do you want 
me to do ? Introduce the ladies ? 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, and then you can carve 
the turkey; that will help the girls, and give 
them time to have the table in order. It will 
help your father, too; he is always so bashful 
when there is any ladies around. 

Delphena : Are you going to have a large 
party? 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, no, just what can 
gather round the dining table comfortably. 
Hulda and me have been making the greatest 
of preparations. 

Faculty : I should think you had ; women 
go to so much fuss at such times. Every wom- 
an acts as if she was trying to outdo the other. 
64 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

I just feel as if I would like to slap every one 
of them. 

Mrs. Serene: You wouldn't slap your 
mother, would you? 

Faculty : She needs slapping the worst of 
any of them; don't you think so? 

Mrs. Serene : My, no. 

Faculty : Why, yes, I've seen you go 
to more fuss for a preachers' dinner than I 
would for a wedding dinner for a pair of twin 
girls. 

Florida (addressing Faculty) : Faculty, 
do you know anything about those eggs that 
were in the market basket? 

Faculty (smiling) : Yes'm, I know all 
about them ; do you want them ? 

Florida: Yes, I want them now in a 
hurry; did you hide them? 

Faculty : I guess I did. 

Florida: Tell me where you hid them. 

Faculty (smiling) : You could not get 
them if I should tell you. 



65 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Florida : Well, you tell me, and I'll show 
you if I don't find them. 

Faculty: What do you want to do with 
them? 

Florida: I want to make some pies for 
dinner. 

Faculty : Some white-top pies, I suppose ? 

Florida : Yes. 

Faculty: Well, I guess you will have to 
do without them this time. 

Florida : I guess we won't ; tell me quick 
where they are, for I'm in a hurry. 

Mrs. Serene: Faculty, if you have hid 
them eggs, I want you should git them fur her 
immejetly. 

Faculty: Ah, Sister Serene, when you 
speak I always obey when I can, but in this case 
I cannot. 

Mrs. Serene : None of your nonsense ; go 
and git them eggs fur Florida. 

Faculty : I cannot. 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, you can. Tell me 
where you put them, and I will get them. 
66 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Faculty: You are sure about that, are 
you? 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, sir; now let's know 
quick. 

Faculty : Madam, I got outside of them. 

Florida: What! you didn't go and suck 
those eggs, did you ? 

Faculty : I didn't suck them ; I just swal- 
lowed them right down. 

Florida: Why, there were fourteen of 
them. 

Faculty : I am aware of that. 

Florida: And you swallowed every one 
of them? 

Faculty: For a fact I did. 

Florida: Now, ma, you ought to punish 
him for that trick. 

Faculty : Now, Sister Serene, go and get 
those eggs if you wish to. 

Florida : Yes, you know ma wouldn't pun- 
ish you if you swallowed everything in the 
house. 

Faculty : If I should take a taste of half 
67 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

the cooked victuals in that house I should not 
want any of that roast turkey. 

Florida: You will not get any roast 
turkey. (Exit.) 

Mrs. Serene: Faculty, you ought not 
sucked them eggs. 

Faculty (smiling) : Madam Serene, you 
are to blame yourself for me doing that. I 
would never thought of swallowing those eggs 
if you folks didn't go to so much unnecessary 
work for these dinner parties. 

Mrs. Serene: Well, I guess I'll have to 
send you to Yurrup. 

Faculty : Just remember, sis, I might re- 
turn and make up for lost time. 

Mrs. Serene : Faculty, it is time fur you 
to dress, and be in order when the company 
comes. 

Faculty: Yes'm, that's so. I do not 
know what I would do if it were not for Sister 
Serene to remind me of my duty. (Exit.) 

Delphena: Your son seems to be a very 
happy disposition. 

6Z 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, he's always happy. 
He is so smart I believe I'll send him to Yur- 
rup to learn to be a dude. 

Ceres (smiling) : Really, that is a very 
strange idea. 

Delphena : I was not aware that to be a 
dude was a very paying profession. 

Mrs. Serene: Well, I've been thinking 
about it fur some time. He's no account to 
help me in my work; he's not stout enough. 

Ceres: From appearances some person 
does a wonderful amount of work at your place. 
I never saw a place improve faster. 

Mrs. Serene: It costs a heap to be first 
cut, and I don't like to be the hind car on any 
train. 

Faculty (dressed in red velvet knee pants 
and a pink calico shirt, smiling) : Sister Se- 
rene, you need not expect much for dinner to- 
day; the cooks are both mad. Hulda is just 
hopping around there, and Florida is mad, too, 
because she had to make rhubarb pies. 



69 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Do they want me to help 

them? 

Faculty : No, there is nothing for you to 
do. They are extremely angry because I got 
outside of those eggs. They have enough 
stuff cooked over there to feed an army, yet the 
girls think they are not going to have any- 
thing for dinner. 

Mrs. Serene : You stay here with me, pet. 

Faculty: [Yes, I will. (Exit.) 

Ceres: How many children have you? 

Mrs. Serene : Only them three, but they're 
no 'count to me but Hulda. Florida is just 
like her father, so 'fraid of doing something 
wrong. 

Delphena : If your son is as jolly at home 
as away, you do not have much chance to get 
sad. 

Mrs. Serene: He is always happy and 
smart. 

Ceres : Where there is'only one boy, he is 
apt to be a spoiled child. 



70 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: It is not that way at our 
house ; he has always been our pet. 

Florida (addressing Mrs. Serene) : Ma, 
I wish you would come home ; we are expecting 
our company soon, and we cannot make 
Faculty behave himself. Just as we had the 
dinner table finished as we thought, we made 
the discovery of a dish of gooseberry jam upon 
the table, without a grain of sugar in it. Some 
of Faculty's work. You come home. (Exit.) 

Delphena : Really, women have many 
trials preparing dinner parties. I always try 
to help what I can, but I am poor help at such 
times. 

Mrs. Serene: The heft of the work at 
such times usually comes on the old folks ; my 
Hulda knows how to manage a high-toned din- 
ner party just as well as I do. 

Faculty (fanning himself with a palm-leaf 
fan) : I feel lots better in these short pants 
than I did with them pantalets dangling around 
my feet. Sister Serene, I think it's about 
time you was going home. There's a whole 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

slew of women coming; I suppose they are 
coming to that dinner party. I made my 
escape, for fear I might get gobbled by them 
or the cooks. 

Mrs. Serene : Come here, Faculty ; I want 
to talk to you. 

Faculty: Yes, I will. \Keeps walking 
and fanning. ) 

Mrs. Serene: What did you make that 
gooseberry jam without sugar for? 

Faculty: Well, madam, you are always 
saying, "Now, let's have something tart with 
turkey:" so I thought I would prepare you a 
gooseberry relish without sugar. Will it be 
tart enough, think ye? 

Mrs. Serene (smiling) : I guess so. 

Ceres : You are quite a help about dinner 
parties. 

Faculty : Indeed I am. 

Mrs. Serene: You shouldn't pester the 
girls so. Has Felix Stone come yet ? 

Faculty: No, how is it? Is this to be a 
hen or a goose party? 
72 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene : Neither; it's a ladies' party. 

Faculty: So you thought Felix Stone 
would be there, did you? Maybe he is com- 
ing ; I thought I saw Hulda smile once. 

Delphena : You are your mother's merry- 
making child, I believe. 

Faculty : For a fact I am. 

Ceres: You are going to have a high- 
toned party, I believe. 

Mrs. Serene: I always have high-toned 
parties. 

Faculty: I should think you did. Some 
of them have been high-toned enough to nearly 
reach the sky. (Exit.) 

Delphena: You are fortunate to have 
daughters that can take full charge of affairs 
in time of giving a dinner party. 

Mrs. Serene: My Hulda knows how to 
take full charge. I can trust her any place, 
no matter about weather or darkness. 

Florida : Ma, why don't you come home ? 

Mrs. Serene : I'm tired, and want to rest. 

Florida: Faculty is passing the turkey 
73 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

around on a great big platter ; he gives each one 
the carving knife, and tells them to cut off a 
piece to suit themselves. Don't you suppose 
Hulda and I suffer? Why don't you come 
home ? 

Mrs. Serene: I am doing some planning 
fur a Thanksgiving dinner. 

Florida: I think we had better get 
through with this dinner first. (Exit.) 

Aunt Lucy (addressing Delphena and 
Ceres) : Would you both enjoy a drive in the 
country ? 

Delphena: Most assuredly I would. 

Ceres (smiling) : Certainly. 

Lucy : The carriage is waiting for you. 

(Exit, Delphena, Ceres and Lucy.) 

Enter Felix Stone (smiling) : Well, old 
lady, I've found you at last. I have been look- 
ing three hours for you. 

Mrs. Serene: Felix Stone, I wish I had 
never known you. 

Felix : It is very likely you have not lost 



74 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

any more by knowing me than I have by know- 
ing you. 

Mrs. Serene: Have you seen my Hulda 
to-day? She was to have been home yester- 
day. 

Felix (smiling) : The last I saw of your 
Hulda was this morning. An officer was es- 
corting her to the court-house. She was ar- 
rested for shoplifting. 

Mrs. Serene: I don't believe any such 
stuff. Peddlers will say anything. 

Felix (smiling) : Mrs. Serene, I think 
the first purchase I make will be a guillotine, 
and place it just above that vandyke of yours. 

Mrs. Serene (soberly) : You git out of 
this house. 

Felix : Yes, madam, I will, but I wish to 
thank you before I go for that chibouque 
you gave me. I shall prize it very highly; 
and when I am about choked with the smoke 
from it, I will remember, with tears in my eyes, 
the three-hundred-pound Amazon who gave it 
to me. 

75 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: You git out of this house, 
sir. 

Felix (smiling) : I will, madam; before 
going I wish to leave my parting blessing with 
you, and that is this : that hereafter you will re- 
member there will not be very healthy picking 
for you around the dry goods wagon of this 
Yankee peddler. (Exit.) 

Mrs. Serene (sneeringly) : Ha! 

Enter Mr. Mission (minister) wearing the 
usual clerical suit. Bozvs. Excuse me, Mrs. 
Serene, it becomes my painful duty to call you 
to an account. The course of life you have 
been following of Jate has caused great sorrow 
in our church. As a church we do mean to 
do what is right. Search the Scriptures ; do as 
they command you, and you will not be covet- 
ing and taking what does not belong to you. 

Mrs. Serene: I have been searching the 
Scriptures, and there is where I learned that to 
be anybody in this world I should have some 
of this world's goods. 

Mission : Mrs. Serene, this is a serious 
76 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

matter, and you are expected to speak the trutfi. 

Mrs. Serene: All right; send on your 
questions. 

Mission: Have you been taking goods 
from merchants in the city without paying for 
them? 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, sir. 

Mission : For any great length of time? 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, sir, ever since I joined 
this church. 

Mission : Why, madam, that would be for 
years. 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, sir, I know it would. 

Mission : Do you not know the church 
does not allow its members to do such deeds? 

Mrs. Serene : No, sir ; I thought that was 
what the church was for — to give its members 
a chance to make money. 

Mission : I am surprised to hear such 
words. The church has no objections to its 
members making money, but wishes them to 
make it in an honest and honorable manner. 



77 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: You know mighty well 
some of them do not make their money honest- 
ly. I could p'int out some of them if I wished 
to. 

Mission: The failures of others will not 
save you. I am pained to ask you such ques- 
tions, but it becomes my solemn duty. Did 
you have anything to do with the taking of the 
goods from Felix Stone's wagon when he was 
robbed ? 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, sir. 

Mission : Did any person or persons help 
you? 

Mrs. Serene: No, sir. 

Mission: What did you do with the 
goods ? 

Mrs. Serene: That is my business; not 
yours, sir. 

Mission : I am shocked to hear you talk in 
such a manner. I am told it is firmly believed 
that you have at times taken grains from your 
neighbors' granaries. Is that so? 



78 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, sir. I have taken a 
heap of stuff from my neighbors. 

Mission: What caused you to make up 
your mind to do such deeds ? 

Mrs. Serene : Well, you believe the Bible 
to be true, do you not ? 

Mission : I assuredly do. 

Mrs. Serene: Well, it says, "For unto 
every one that hath shall be given and he shall 
have abundance; but from him that hath not 
shall be taken away even that which he hath." 
Now, you all know I haven't got any learning, 
like some people have. I look upon that say- 
ing this way — that to make them words true, 
some person has to take some other person's 
property for their own, and thought I might 
just as well have it as anybody. In that Book 
I read, "The poor is hated even of his own 
neighbor, but the rich hath many friends." In 
another place I read, "The crown of the wise 
is their riches." In another place I read, 
"Every wise woman buildeth her house," and 
"in all labor there is profit." I noticed that 
19 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

people in churches made money faster than 
them outside; and I made up my mind the 
quickest way for me to get rich was to join 
the church and go to stealing with all my 
might. 

Mission: I am shocked, and greatly 
grieved to hear such words from your lips. 

Mrs. Serene (smiling) : Well, now, you 
know our house was small, and nothing nice 
in it; everybody but us was buying nice furni- 
ture, and fixing up in general ; and I don't like 
to be the last end of society. 

Mission : Ah, my dear woman, "better is 
a little with righteousness than great revenue 
without right." And remember, "the eyes of 
the Lord are in every place beholding the evil 
with the good. ,, 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, but look at this : "Hez- 
ekiah had exceeding much riches and honor." 
Now it's very likely, if he hadn't the riches, he 
wouldn't had the honor. 

Mission : Hezekiah was a good man and 
the Lord prospered him. 
80 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene : You think because the Lord 
prospers me I am not good, though? That 
Book says: "Salt is good, have salt in your- 
selves and have peace one with another." Now 
I have all the salt I could get, and I've tried to 
have peace with everybody. It also says, 
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be 
called the children of God." Now you all 
know I have always been a peacemaker in this 
church, and in this neighborhood. 

Mission : Yes, Mrs. Serene, I remember 
you have acted the part of peacemaker several 
times. 

Mrs. Serene : I was a peacemaker in three 
squabbles you all got into in this church. 

Mission : I am aware of that, but remem- 
ber that good Book says, "Ye shall know them 
by their fruits." 

Mrs. Serene: If that is what you are 
going by, you are at liberty to examine my 
fruits any day, sir; and you'll find I've got 
some mighty good kinds, and a mighty good 
supply, too. 

81 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mission : Perhaps that is not as we are to 
understand that passage of Scripture. 

Mrs. Serene: I understand what fruit 
means just as well as you do. 

Mission : Excuse me ; there is another 
charge brought against you, and that is drunk- 
enness. I am told you were found by the road- 
side in a condition that is called dead drunk. 

Mrs. Serene : You have a mighty sight of 
brass to ever bring that up; you gave me the 
first wine I ever tasted. 

Mission : I am not aware I ever gave you 
any wine to hurt you. 

Mrs. Serene: I could mighty easy jog 
your memory about it. After I had been doing 
some heavy night work, carrying other peo- 
ples' grains into my own bin, I went down- 
town one afternoon. I met you on my way 
home; you inquired about my health; I told 
you I did not feel well. You took a bottle of 
wine from your pocket, offered it to me and 
said these words : "Drink no longer water, but 
use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and 
82 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

thine often infirmities." I drinked of it, and 
did not feel stronger after drinking it, nuther. 
The woman did not tempt that time. I got 
home, but never could tell how I got there. 

Mission : We as a church wish to do what 
is right, and wish you to do what is right, too. 

Mrs. Serene: I do many things that is 
right. At one time a lady lost a very nice pair 
of gloves in the church; I found them and 
hung them on the chandelier, that the owner 
might find them; and they hung there a week 
before the owner found them. At another 
time I found a very nice scarf that some lady 
lost in the church; I hung it on the chandelier 
that the owner might find it. During this 
time you picked up a very nice white silk neck 
scarf, that some person lost in the church ; and 
I said "Hang it on the chandelier alongside of 
the gloves, that the owner may find it" You 
looked at it as if you thought it was mighty 
handsome ; finally, you said that would be nice 
for Sabrina to wear; and you folded it, put it 
into your pocket and went home; but if you 
83 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

hear of me doing any such tricks, you are 
ready to turn me out of the church. 

Mission : If any person had inquired for a 
lost neck scarf I am sure I would have brought 
it to them. 

Mrs. Serene: I don't know whether you 
would or not. My opinion is, preachers will 
bear as much watching as anybody. 

Mission : Mrs. Serene, 'The love of money 
is the root of all evil." 

Mrs. Serene: The Lord said, "But that 
which ye have already hold fast till I come," 
and that's just what I've been trying to do. 

Mission: Yes, but you don't want to get 
quite such a strong hold on your neighbors' 
wheat as you have been doing of late. 

Mrs. Serene : The Bible says, "The Lord 
hath made all things for Himself." Now as I 
understand that, what I have been gathering in 
is the Lord's, if I was gathering in for myself. 
And He says, "His children shall have a place 
of refuge." 



84 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mission : That Bible says, 'The house of 
the wicked shall be overthrown." 

Mrs. Serene: You just look at Samson; 
how he flourished. What would you think of 
me to do such a trick as he did — when he 
ketched three hundred foxes, tied their tails to- 
gether, put fire brands amongst them, set fire 
to them, and turned them loose in the Philis- 
tines' corn field, and burned up both the shocks 
and also the standing corn, with the vineyards 
and olives. He judged Israel twenty years in 
the days of the Philistines. Now if I should 
do such a thing as that, you would not think 
of giving me an office. No, sir, you would not 
sleep a wink until you had me locked up in some 
prison house. 

Mission: Samson was a man that God 
saw fit to perform some wonderful deeds 
through. Every person must answer for his 
or her deeds. 

Mrs. Serene: I expect to answer for my 
deeds. 

Mission: If you persist in doing the re- 
35 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

mainder of your days as you have been doing 
of late, what do you expect your fate will be ? 

Mrs. Serene : I expect to be saved, sir. 

Mission: How so, madam? Does not 
that Good Book say 'Tor the Son of Man shall 
come in the glory of His Father, with His 
angels, and then He shall reward every man ac- 
cording to his works"? 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, sir, but that don't say 
anything about the women. That Book says, 
"Whosoever believeth in Him should not per- 
ish but have eternal life." I believe in a 
Saviour. 

Mission : You have not been keeping His 
commandments very well of late. He says, 
"In the last days perilous times shall come." 

Mrs. Serene : I am aware of that, sir. He 
also says, "And the Lord shall deliver me 
from my evil work and will preserve me unto 
His heavenly kingdom." 

Mission : I am truly sorry you persist in 
following such a course of life. You have no 



86 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

right to property belonging to others unless you 
pay them for it. 

Mrs. Serene : What right had you to de- 
mand four chickens and a turkey of Deacon 
Smith for the elder without paying him for 
them? You know they are very poor people. 

Mission : I know they are, but they had the 
elder's preaching in return for them. 

Mrs. Serene: No, sir. Mrs. Smith and 
her children did not hear one word of his ser- 
mons. 

Mission : The sermons were prepared for 
every person ; if they did not hear them it was 
their own fault. 

Mrs. Serene: Not in this case. Mrs. 
Smith and her children had no shoes to wear. 

Mission : Mrs. Serene, if you persist in 
doing such deeds, it will become my painful 
duty to turn you out of our church. 

Mrs. Serene: Well, now you just try 
turning me out of your church, and I'll make 
your old head smoke equal to Mount Vesuvius. 



87 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mission (looking sad) : A haughty spirit 
before a downfall. (Exit.) 

Mrs. Serene : Now I am alone again, and 
I wish I could be alone among the mountains 
the rest of my days. (Exit.) 

Enter Berne, dressed in a common busi- 
ness suit. Pours out a glass of water. Enter 
Uncle Lute, wearing a long black robe, long 
gray hair and whiskers, ancient hat, carrying 
a cane with gold head. 

Lute : Can a tired traveler get a chance to 
rest a short time ? 

Berne: Certainly; be seated. (Offers a 
chair. ) 

Enter Arch^, about ten years old, in a 
hurry; addresses Berne: Say, pa, that 
preacher didn't kill you, after all, did he? 

Berne (surprised) : Kill me! why, Archie, 
I do not understand what you mean. 

Archie: When I looked into the sitting 
room window, that preacher had you on one 
side of him, bent over a chair, and ma on the 
other side of him, bent over a chair, and he was 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

bent over another chair, and I just thought 
from the way he shook his hands, and tossed his 
head, he was going to kill you and ma. 

Berne : Why, Archie, what an idea. We 
were having family prayer. 

Archie (looking ■ earnestly at Berne) : 
Well, now you've got me; I don't know what 
family prayer is. (Exit Archie.) 

Uncle Lute (eyeing Berne sharply) : 
Berne, is that what you call having family 
prayer — the minister, your wife and yourself 
doing the praying while your children are out 
at work ? 

Berne : Who are you that you address me 
in this familiar manner ? 

Lute : I am your Uncle Lute. 

Berne : Far from it, sir. You look more 
like an old tramp than like my Uncle Lute. 

Lute : Time makes its changes. 

Berne : I am aware of that, but time could 
not change my Uncle Lute into such a frightful- 
looking creature as you represent. 

Lute: Are you sure about that? 
89 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Berne: Are you traveling? 

Lute: Yes, sir. I have some nephews 
living in these parts, and thought I would call 
around and see how they were getting along. 

Berne : I suppose you found them all get- 
ting rich, as the people in these parts are all 
money-makers. 

Lute : Getting rich ? I should think some- 
body must be getting rich. There is a won- 
derful amount of improvements being made in 
the last few years. Have good crops every 
year, do you not? 

Berne: Yes, very good. This whole 
county is splendid good land, and yields good 
crops every year. 

Lute: I should think from the improve- 
ments the land must turn out money equal 
to a gold mine. Prince and Cedonia have 
made wonderful improvements. 

Berne {eyes him sharply and seems un- 
easy) : If you are traveling, you had better go 
on your journey. 

Lute: I will; before going I wish to con- 
90 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

vince you that I am your Uncle Lute, by re- 
moving this hat, hair, whiskers and duster. 
{Removes them; remains standing.) 

Berne {surprised, after an instant) : As I 
live, I believe you are my Uncle Lute. 

Lute {dressed in nice black) : For a fact I 
am. 

Berne: What great crime have you com- 
mitted that you travel in such disguise as this ? 

Lute : Not any crime at all, sir. 

Berne : There must be some mystery con- 
nected with this hat and duster. 

Lute : There is no mystery connected, but 
a wonderful amount of misery and heart-felt 
sorrow connected with it. 

Berne: Is that so? I am truly sorry to 
hear that. 

Lute : I have traveled through these parts 
before, and talked with you when wearing my 
suit of white and black; do you know it? 

Berne : No ; is that so ? I do remember a 
man traveling through these parts years ago, 
dressed as you were when you came in, who 
9i 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

gave us some rather sharp scoldings about 
putting too much work upon our children. 
Are you that person ? 

Lute : I am. 

Mrs. Berne : How do you do, Uncle Lute ? 

Lute (bowing) : I am glad to see you 
once more. 

Mrs. Berne: Come out to visit these 
money-makers ? 

Lute : I suppose getting rich is what they 
call it. Really, I cannot see where they have 
enriched their minds. 

Berne : I suppose you found many things 
that did not suit you? 

Lute: I suppose I found many things to 
make my heart ache. 

Berne: I guess you will think some of 
your relations have not much sense. 

Lute: Ah, now you are coming down to 
business. You have all put too much work 
upon your children when they were young, and 
now look at them; good subjects for doctors. 
You will all be lucky if out of a whole barnyard 
92 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

full of children, you will have one child smart 
enough to take care of himself and the old 
folks. 

Berne : Why didn't you come around with 
your advice years ago? It might have been 
some help to us. 

Lute : I did. You did not heed it. 

Berne: Well! we all see when it is too 
late. 

Lute : How did you all learn to raise sucH 
stock? This State has not finer stock in it 
than Cedonia, Prince and you have. 

Berne (slowly) : Oh, by reading. 

Lute: Then why could you not learn by 
reading how to raise your children in such man- 
ner that they would look well, and be of some 
value to themselves and to others? 

Berne : Well, really, I do not know, unless 
because we did not have any person to jog our 
memory about it. 

Lute: How many children have you? 

Berne: Oh, five or six or seven. I don't 
know exactly how many we have. 
93 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Lute: How many daughters have you? 

Berne : Two or three ; I forget which. 

Mrs. Berne : Why, Berne, be ashamed of 
yourself; we have but one daughter, that is 
Hetta. (Exit.) 

Lute (smiling) : Have you a library? 

Berne: Well, no, we haven't. I don't 
know what we would do with a library; we 
cannot get time to read the weekly papers. 

Lute : This living upon a farm and having 
no time to read is just as you plan your work; 
you should make a certain amount of reading 
a part of your day's work. People who do not 
read, get behind the times. 

Berne : Every man and woman is not edu- 
cated, but should be, I suppose. 

Lute: They can be, if they will. It is a 
mistaken idea that a person must go to college 
or remain in ignorance. Buy books and study 
them. 

Berne: That would be a very good plan, 
but when a person gets married and settles 



94 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

down on a farm it is generally good-by to 
books. 

Lute: Usually it is that way, but not 
necessarily. When we were married Jessie 
was not educated. 

Berne : What ! 

Lute : It is a fact. I never thought what a 
mortification her ignorance would be to me 
in time to come until we were making prepara- 
tions to visit my mother. Quicker than a flash 
it came into my mind then. All arrangements 
were made ; what could we do ? I shrank from 
the presence of my mother. We lived upon the 
farm where we now live. I proposed to Jessie 
that we postpone our visit for two or three 
years, that by that time we might have more 
money to buy silk dresses with. I thought of 
a plan, but every time I began telling her, some- 
thing would choke me, and I would run out 
into the fresh air to get my breath. I was 
afraid of breaking her heart. Finally I told 
her if she wanted the good will of my mother 
she must educate herself. I felt so sorry for 
95 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

her, I neany lost my breath for a minute. I 
proposed buying some books and she was to 
try studying them. She said she could not 
keep house and go to school. It was several 
days before I could tell her that I could teach 
her. She said she would rather take instruc- 
tions from me than from any other person. 
Then I was happy. A genuine rainy day was 
our for study. We read and spelled, studied 
grammar, arithmetic, geography, geology, 
physiology, philosophy and botany, until we 
had pleasure beyond description. In a few 
years I began to think I was the ignorant one. 
Then we visited my mother, and happy hours 
we spent together. 

Berne: I am surprised. I supposed she 
was well educated before you ever saw her. 

Lute: No, sir; that is the way she was 
educated. 

Mrs. Serene: I come in to tell you the 
sewing society would meet to-morrow after- 
noon at Mrs. Leon Celt's. It has been several 
weeks since they met; there has been so many 
96 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

entertainments lately, the work of the society 
has been crowded out. Tell Mrs. Berne to go 
early, so we can get the garments all finished 
that is begun. 

Berne: That would be a very good plan, 
if all others would go early. 

Mrs. Serene : I'm not much of a hand at 
making shirts ; I'd rather sew on some of them 
aprons. 

Berne: Now after you get those aprons 
finished, don't take them home with you. 
There are a plenty of poor in this town would 
be glad to get them. 

Mrs. Serene : Thank you, sir ; I'm not in 
the habit of taking society-made clothes home 
with me. 

Berne (smiling) : Is that so, for a fact? 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, sir. 

Berne: How is Joseph? I have not seen 
him for a long time. 

Mrs. Serene: Joseph is rather under the 
weather. 



97 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Berne : What seems to be the matter with 
him? 

Mrs. Serene : He has the sciatica. 

Lute: That is rather a troublesome sick- 
ness. 

Mrs. Serene: It is rather unconvenient 
getting around. 

Berne : Can he walk ? 

Mrs. Serene : Yes ; he supports himself by 
pushing a chair, or he could not walk. I'm 
going to get him a gold-headed cane the first 
time I go into the city — that will be a heap 
handier fur him. 

Berne : Very likely that may cure him. 

Mrs. Serene: No, I think not; he's had 
the sciatica ever sense he was working in the 
water, clearing away that silt. 

Enter Mrs. Serene. 

Lute : It may be some time before he gets 
entirely well. 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, I suppose so. 

Berne: I understand you have sent your 
son Faculty away to college ? 
98 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene : Oh, no, I would not send a 
child to one of them graduate colleges. 
Faculty is traveling. 

Berne: What part of this world is he 
traveling in? 

Mrs. Serene : In Yurrup. 

Berne : How long since he started on his 
trip? 

Mrs. Serene: Six months. 

Lute: I suppose board is quite high over 
there ? 

Mrs. Serene : Faculty don't pay no board. 

Berne: How is that? 

Mrs. Serene : He went as a dude. 

Berne: I suppose he went in company 
with others? 

Mrs. Serene : No others but his keeper. 

Berne : You hear from him, I suppose ? 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, yes, we've had a heap 
of letters frum him sense he went away. The 
last letter we had was from his keeper. 

Lute: Did he write as though your son 
were doing well? 

99 a.ofc. 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, yes, he wrote that 
Faculty was a holy terror. 

Lute: Is that so? 

Mrs. Serene : I was not surprised to hear 
that of him. Faculty always showed a good 
deal of religion about him. 

Berne : How did your son happen to go as 
a dude? 

Mrs. Serene : Well, everything seemed to 
be shaping that way fur years. This man 
come along and wanted Faculty to go with 
him fur a dude. He had his recommend 
papers with him, so we thought he must be all 
right; and we said to Faculty, he might go if 
he wanted to. You know every person would 
not want such a good chance to pass them, be- 
cause every person could not learn to be a dude. 

Lute: No, every person would not want 
to be a dude. 

Mrs. Serene : Why, is it dangerous ? 

Lute (smiling) : I do not know that it is 
dangerous any more than that a person follow- 



(00 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

ing that business would not be very apt to cul- 
tivate a taste for any other business. 

Mrs. Serene : I don't want him to follow 
any other business. 

Lute: Is that so? 

Berne: Was Joseph willing your son 
should go as a dude? 

Mrs. Serene: No, it was some of my 
work. Joseph said he would rather Faculty 
would be a Sagamore. 

Lute (laughing) : Really, I believe I 
should, were I in his place. 

Berne : Well, Faculty has gone traveling 
and will see something of this world. 

Mrs. Serene : Faculty has went traveling 
not to see the world, but to let the world see 
him. 

Berne (smiling) : Oh, that is it? 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, that is it. Joseph 
wanted him to send a succedaneum, but 
Faculty did not want to, so he went himself. 

Lute: Do you expect your son to return 
at some future time ? 

JO* 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene : Oh, yes ; his keeper said he 
thought he could return him an arch dude, in 
two or three years. 

Lute : Is that so ? 

Mrs. Serene : I think he will get through 
and git his title in two years. You all know 
Faculty is quick to learn anything new. 

Berne: Then your son-in-law will take 
his place? 

Mrs. Serene: No, sir; no person could 
take the place of that boy in my heart. 

Berne : Is that so ? I should have thought 
Faculty would have waited until after the wed- 
ding of his sister. 

Mrs. Serene: He is glad to get away 
frum such entertainments. There is too much 
work about it to suit him. 

Berne: I supposed until yesterday that 
your daughter was married long ago. 

Mrs. Serene : No ; they hain't had the in- 
vitations struck yet. My, oh, don't it take 
a heap of fussing to git ready fur a wedding 
these days? 

102 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Lute: People are inclined to go to too 
much parade and expense at such times. 

Mrs. Serene: Sometimes I think so. I 
heerd Mr. Reed telling about getting ready 
fur his daughter's wedding. He said he was 
having his horse painted inside and out. I 
couldn't go to such fuss as that ; there would be 
some expense about such a job. 

Berne (surprised): What! You do not 
mean to say he was having his horse painted 
inside and out? 

Mrs. Serene : Most insured I do. 

Berne: I think you must have misunder- 
stood him. 

Mrs. Serene: I must be losing my hear- 
ing then, fur that is what I thought he said. 

Berne: He is painting his house inside 
and out; I think that must have been what he 
was speaking of, and you did not understand 
him correctly. 

Lute : It is a very easy matter in this 
world to be mistaken. 

Mrs. Serene: Yes, that is so. Well, I 
*03 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

must go and help the sewing society about 
making arrangements. (Exit.) 

Berne: Really, Mrs. Serene is a very 
strange woman. 

Lute : She is indeed a very strange woman. 

Enter Cedonia, a small man, very round 
shoulders, dressed farmer-like. 

Cedonia : How do you do, Uncle Lute ? 

Lute: How do you do, Cedonia? I am 
truly sorry to see you with that hump on your 
back. 

Cedonia : I suppose I came honestly by it ; 
hard work made it. 

Lute (slowly) : Hard work; yes, I should 
think so. You and Berne have done enough 
hard work years ago to kill half a dozen men 
of your strength. 

Berne: I believe you are about right. 

Lute (addressing Cedonia) : Well, how 
is your family in general? 

Cedonia (slowly) : Oh, about as usual, 
and that is not very well. The boys all seem 
to be rheumatic, and wife and I have no health. 
J 04 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

We have about made up our minds that this 
climate does not agree with us, and that a 
change of climate might help us. 

Lute : A little less work might help all. 

Cedonia: I suppose so, but we have to 
keep jogging. The boys told me you was 
over to see us. 

Lute : Yes. 

Cedonia : Was awful sorry wife and I was 
away from home. Guess the boys wa'n't very 
entertaining ? 

Lute (smiling) : Entertaining? Well, I 
tried to make myself agreeable by relating an 
anecdote. I heard no responses ; finally I looked 
around and, to my surprise, I saw them 
stretched out upon chairs and the floor fast 
asleep. I looked at them and thought to my- 
self, "Poor sufferers !" 

Cedonia: My boys were tired; they are 
always tired; they have such poor constitu- 
tions; they seem to have no endurance about 
them. 

Lute (surprised): What! poor constitu- 
tor 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

tions? If your boys had not had uncommon 
good constitutions, they would have been dead 
long ago. What became of your girls? 

Cedonia : They all died with consumption. 

Lute: I am not surprised at that after 
standing in the cold mud, barefooted, to milk 
cows, standing from one to three hours down 
cellar churning, barefoot. 

Berne: For a fact such work as that is 
a great mistake. 

Cedonia : Well, we see when it is too late. 

Lute: Did not I warn you years ago of 
the great danger of putting so much work upon 
your children? 

Cedonia: Why, no, I don't remember as 
you did. 

Lute : Did not I come with long gray hair 
and whiskers flying, thinking you would all 
heed my warning because of my gray locks ? 

Cedonia : I do remember years ago, a man 
wearing a long black robe, having long gray 
hair and whiskers, giving us boys a sharp lec- 



t06 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

ture about putting too much work on our boys, 
but never learned who he was. 

Lute : Neither did you heed his warning. 
What are your boys good for, or what business 
are they adapted to? 

Cedonia : They are not adapted to any 
business {laughing) . They are of no account 
for anything. 

Lute: No; because they are worn out. 
Doctors might pay you a good price for the 
whole flock. Try resting, and see if that will 
help you. 

Cedonia : We would be glad to rest, could 
we get a chance to. We see when it is too 
late that we planned too much work. 

Lute : It is a lamentable fact that the ma- 
jority of farmers do plan too much work. 

Enter Lorenzo in dark-gray business suit; 
hair neatly combed, shoes neatly polished, 
comes in smiling, with newspaper in hand. 

Lute: How do you do, Lorenzo? 

Lorenzo : How do you do, Uncle Lute? 

Lute: Where is Lucy? 
*07 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Lorenzo : She is coming in. We thought 
Ave heard your voice. 

Lucy (comes in smiling, dressed in black 
satin) : How do you do, Uncle Lute? 

Lute: How do you do, Lucy? I have 
just been lecturing the boys for always plan- 
ning so much work. Lorenzo and Lucy can 
teach you how to farm, and have time to read 
and rest. They make their reading and rest- 
ing a part of their day's work, and that is as it 
should be. We do not live but one lifetime, 
and why not enjoy it as we go. 

Cedonia (smiling) : I guess we all see 
when it is too late. 

Lute : That is very true. And / see when 
it is too late, that had I come in my usual man- 
ner of dressing, you might have heeded my 
warning. 

Enter Mrs. Serene, representing a slender 
person, dressed in gray, carrying a black fan, 
wearing black slippers, hair to represent gray, 
combed to make her look old. Seems uneasy, 
keeps walking. 

108 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: I never was so sick in my 
life. I do believe I am about to die. 

Aunt Lucy (surprised) : Why, what 
makes you think that? 

Mrs. Serene: I never was so sick sense 
I was born. 

Aunt Lucys Oh, yes, I think you have 
been several times. 

Mrs. Serene : No, I am sure I never was, 
and I never had such strange thoughts and feel- 
ings, as I've had this livelong day. I am sure 
I am going to die, and I want to die, too. 

Lute : What are you so anxious to die for ? 

Mrs. Serene: I want to git out of this 
world. 

Berne (smiling) : What are you so anx- 
ious to get out of this world for? 

Mrs. Serene: Because I can't work as I 
used to, and what I have done keeps coming 
up in my mind and pesters me so I cannot rest 
day or night. I wish I was dead and done 
with it. 

Cedonia : That seems to me a very strange 
i09 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

way for a person to talk that has such a fine 
home as you have. 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, goodness! I wish I 
had never seen this place. 

Aunt Lucy: Now do not get so excited; 
I do not think you are going to die now. 

Mrs. Serene : Yes, I be ; I know I will ; I 
just feel my heart stop beaten sometimes. I 
want to die before Faculty gets home. 

Aunt Lucy : Why do yqu wish to die be- 
fore he gets home? 

Mrs. Serene : Because I don't want him to 
see me again. There's lots of things I'll never 
hear the last of if he gets hold of them. 

Lorenzo: Ah, what a pity you did not 
think of such things many years ago. 

Mrs. Serene: I did, but I did not care 
then. I was bound our family should be first 
cut and they have been, too. 

Lute : They have been first cut at the ex- 
pense of your strength, have they not? 

Mrs. Serene: Most insured they have. 
Oh, my back feels as if it was all gone. I just 

no 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

believe what makes it feel so bad is lifting so 
many great, big sacks of wheat and oats. 
Goodness, it's a wonder I didn't drop down 
dead some of them warm nights with a big sack 
of something on my shoulders. 

Berne: It is a wonder the overruling 
power of this world did not strike you with a 
streak of lightning while you were doing such 
wrong work. 

Mrs. Serene: Now, see here, Mr. Berne, 
you know by the reading of that Bible if I 
hadn't took that stuff, somebody else would; 
and I just think yet, we might just as well have 
it as anybody. I do hope I will die before 
Faculty gits home. 

Cedonia : I heard you was very anxious to 
have him come. 

Mrs. Serene: I was until I got sick, and 
then I didn't want to see him. If there was 
any way to keep him frum knowing this, but 
there hain't. I do hope I will die. 

Berne : I think you had better live and try 
to repent of your wrong doings. 
Ui 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Mrs. Serene: I have repented long ago; 
but I want to git out of this. 

Aunt Lucy : I think you had better have 
a doctor. 

Mrs. Serene: No, no, I don't want a 
doctor. 

Lorenzo : Why are you not willing to have 
a doctor? 

Mrs. Serene: I've stole so much wood 
frum them, if I should git light-headed while 
they are here I might tell them about it. No, 
no, I don't want no doctors. 

Cedonia: They might want the pay for 
the wood you have taken. (Smiling.) 

Mrs. Serene : I might pay fur the wood, 
if I didn't have to pay so much to the church, 
and so much fur the missionary cause — that 
furrin' missionary work this church is not able 
to pay anything toward. 

Lute: You are not obliged to pay to the 
missionary cause if you do not want to. 

Mrs. Serene : In this church a person that 
does not give about so much every year to the 
\\2 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

missionary cause is not considered anybody at 
all. 

Lute (smiling) : Is that so? 

Mrs. Serene : Oh, how my head aches. 

Aunt Lucy : If you do not want a doctor, 
we might have some neighbor come in and 
prescribe for you. 

Mrs. Serene: I'll tell you who I would 
like to see and that is Mrs. Britton. 

Aunt Lucy: Mrs. Britton is almost a 
stranger to you. 

Mrs. Serene: I know it; that is why I 
want to talk with her. I don't feel much like 
talking to anybody I know. 

Aunt Lucy: I should think you would 
prefer talking with some person you are ac- 
quainted with. 

Mrs. Serene: No, no, they air just the 
ones I want to git away frum; oh, I just wish 
I could die ! If I could make money as I used 
to, I would rather live, but I can't, so I would 
rather go and be out of this place of torment. 

Lorenzo: I should think you would feel 

m 



Aunt Lucy's Caoin 

there might be danger of getting into a place of 
greater torment. 

Mrs. Serene : Not a bit of danger. I am 
mighty sure of that. I never could git into 
greater torment than I have been in lately. I 
want to see Mrs. Britton. 

Berne : I suppose I could go over and see 
if she would come in to see you a while. 

Mrs. Serene : You needn't go over to see 
about it; just tell her to come. 

Berne: Yes, well. (Smiling.) 

Mrs. Serene : Goodness sakes, how I wish 
I could die before Faculty gits here. 

Aunt Lucy: Perhaps I had better have 
some of the neighbors come in if you feel that 
way? 

Mrs. Serene : No, I don't want them. I 
wish I had never had any neighbors. 

Aunt Lucy : You do ? Such good neigh- 
bors as you have. I am surprised to hear you 
speak of them in that manner. 

Mrs. Serene : The neighbors are a mighty 
sight better than I am. That's why I don't 
1*4 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

want to see them. When I am dead and gone, 
you will hear them telling a mighty sight of 
stuff about me. They will be telling how 
good I always have been, and that I mighty 
nigh kept up the church expenses, how I helped 
the poor and all that. 

Aunt Lucy: I have always understood 
you was a great help to the church. 

Mrs. Serene: I just want you to know 
that I took a mighty sight of stuff from the 
rich that wasn't inclined to do much for the 
church, and give to the poor. That is the 
way I kept up the church expenses; and 
the preachers did know of it fur years. 
They will tell when I am gone what a help I 
have been to their church. I just want the 
newcomers in this church to know how things 
have been running here fur years. Preachers 
will bear as much watching as anybody. 

Berne: For a fact I guess they will. 
(Smiling.) 

Mrs. Serene : I have done a heap of steal- 
ing in my time. Oh, I wish I was dead. 
U5 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

Lute: I should think you would rather 
live and reform your ways. 

Mrs. Serene: Oh, I hain't got no form 
left. I am built just like a lath now. I've had 
a heap of trouble the last few weeks thinking 
over the narrow escapes I made of being 
ketched in my stealing. I thought it was 
smart then, but I don't think so now. How I 
wish I could die. 

Berne : I don't think you are going to die 
soon; you are quite strong yet. 

Mrs. Serene : If I could work as I used to 
I would like to live two hundred years, but I 
can't, so I don't care if I don't live two min- 
utes. 

Lorenzo : I should think you would want 
to live long enough to see that law suit 
finished ? 

Mrs. Serene: I am afraid I will get beat 
in that law suit. You know there isn't much 
justice in law, nohow, and I would rather die 
than get beat. I would never hear the last of 
it. \Vhen I die, I want this verse put upon my 
U6 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

curb-stone, "The Lord helps them what helps 
themselves." Sign my name to it. 

Aunt Lucy (smiling) : You want the date 
of your birth and death, do you not ? 

Mrs. Serene: No, not one word; only 
what I told you. 

Aunt Lucy : That will look a little odd, 
will it not? 

Mrs. Serene : No matter if it does. I'm 
an odd woman. 

Lorenzo : Really, I believe you are. 

Mrs. Serene: Well, I must go home; 
goodness, I wish I could die and be out of my 
misery ! 

Berne : Do not forget about your law suit 
to-morrow. 

Mrs. Serene (sorrowfully) : Yes, the 
next thing is that law suit. How I wish I 
could die, or be alone amongst the mountains; 
good-by. (Exit.) 

Aunt Lucy : Mrs. Serene is a remarkably 
strange woman. 

Cedonia (smiling) : She has been Satan in 

m 



Aunt Lucy's Cabin 

petticoats a greater part of her lifetime, but it 
was not known until of late. 

Lute : Had she been educated, and rightly 
trained in her youth, she might have been a 
very different person in her older days. 



THE END. 



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